In a network environment, applications operating on a computer or other network device can use different types of network adapters to connect with a network. Some examples of network adapters include wired Ethernet, wireless Ethernet, Ethernet over video, Ethernet over Firewire (IEEE 1394), infrared links, and other adapters known and used in the art. The hardware for the network adapter can be a Periperhal Component Interconnect (PCI) Ethernet card, Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) device, or Universal Serial Bus (USB) device.
In most cases, which network adapter is actually used by an application (e.g., a web browser, an e-mail application, etc.) may not be particularly relevant for that application. However, the requirements and data exchange involved in videoconferencing bring greater importance to which network adapter is used. For example, in videoconferencing, multimedia is communicated between a videoconferencing application and a remote endpoint. Typically, users must manually chose which network adapter to use for videoconferencing and must configure a proper firewall port to use. Operating systems may offer a preferred order of network adapters from which the user can select for videoconferencing. However, these network adapters can appear valid to the operating system even through a given adapter is incapable of establishing connectivity to a network or the given adapter is incapable of reaching a desired videoconferencing service.
One form of videoconferencing known in the art is desktop videoconferencing, which is computer-based. One example of a product for desktop videoconferencing is the ViaVideo® product available from Polycom, Inc. of Pleasanton, Calif. The ViaVideo® product includes a desktop videoconferencing application for a computer and a unit having a camera, an imbedded microphone, and a multimedia processor for connecting to the computer. To support desktop videoconferencing, the computer uses the videoconferencing application for sending and receiving video and audio from and to the desktop environment. The user calls an Internet Protocol (IP) address of a remote endpoint using the videoconferencing application on the computer. Then, a network adapter on the computer connects to a network to subsequently connect with the remote endpoint. A number of security barriers (e.g., firewalls, Network Address Translators (NATs), etc.) and various types of networks (e.g., Local Area Networks, Internet, etc.) may be used in the videoconferencing connection.
In some network environments, the security barriers can prevent or hinder proper videoconferencing connections. In some network environments that use Virtual Private Network (VPN) or the like, IP addresses from a pool of available address are assigned to devices every time they connect to a network, which can be problematic for desktop videoconferencing applications.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.
While the subject matter of the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. The figures and written description are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive concepts in any manner. Rather, the figures and written description are provided to illustrate the inventive concepts to a person skilled in the art by reference to particular embodiments, as required by 35 U.S.C. §112.